A Bucket of Wisdom

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

My message given during the Ecumenical Thanks giving Celebration of Mindanao University of Science and Technology ( MUST) Days last February 6,2015.

I. It Pleases The Lord(1 Thess.5:18). The practice of giving thanks to the Lord is clearly His divine will. Rest assured that God is pleased when we do what He desires us to do in regard to any matter. It delights God when we appreciate Him enough to render our thanks unto Him.

II. It Proclaims Our Gratitude (APPRECIATION).If you recall in Luke 17, the Lord Jesus cleansed ten lepers. Only one of them came back to thank the Lord for the miracle of their cleansing. One out of ten is 10 %. I wonder how many of us here inside the Gymnasium are really thankful to God for allowing us to enjoy life and what our Alma Mater, this university has achieved.

Why did only one cleansed leper return to thank Jesus? The following are nine suggested reasons why the nine did not return:

One waited to see if the cure was real.

One waited to see if it would last.

One said he would see Jesus later.

One decided that he had never had leprosy.

One said he would have gotten well anyway.

One gave the glory to the priests.

One said, "O, well, Jesus didn't really do anything."

One said, "Any rabbi could have done it."

One said, "I was already much improved."

III. It Provokes Others.I do not mean to "provoke" in a bad sense.Heb. 10:24 says we are to consider one another and to provoke one another to love and good works. The word "provoke" in that verse has the idea of inciting or stirring up others to do what is right. When you are thankful it is contagious: it will catch on and others will be.

A story was told of how important it is for us to give thanks… a student was in a crowded canteen. Just as he was about to begin his meal, another student approached and asked if he could join him. The first student invited him to have a seat. Then, as was his custom, he bowed his head in prayer. When he opened his eyes, the other student asked, "Do you have a headache?" The first student replied, "No, I don't." The other student asked, "Well, is there something wrong with your food?" the first student replied, "No, I was simply thanking God as I always do before I eat."

The other student said, "Oh, you're one of those, are you? Well, I want you to know I never give thanks. I earn my success by the sweat of my brow and I don't have to give thanks to anybody when I eat. I just start eating!"

The first student said, "Yes, you're just like my dog. That's what he does too!"

IV. It Produces Contentment (PLEASURE AND SATISFACTION).As we are thankful to God for what He has given us, we become more and more contented with what is already ours through and from Him. Refuse to live restlessly. It isn't what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.” ― Dale Carnegie

V. It Portrays real Christianity.As you read of the life of Christ, He was repeatedly thankful to His Father for His goodness. See Luke 10:21 and Jn. 11:41. We properly picture Jesus when we are thankful.

ILLUSTRATION:

Two men were walking through a field one day when they spotted an angry bull. Instantly they ran fast toward the nearest fence. The storming bull followed in hot pursuit, and it was soon obvious they wouldn't make it.

Terrified, the one shouted to the other, "Put up a prayer, John. We're in for it!"

John answered, "I can't. I've never made a public prayer in my life."

"But you must!" implored his companion. "The bull is catching up to us."

"All right," panted John, "I'll say the only prayer I know, the one my father used to repeat at the table: 'O Lord, for what we are about to receive, make us truly thankful.'" LET US NOT WAIT FOR THIS ONE TO HAPPEN TO US BEFORE WE THANK GOD. LET US ALL CULTIVATE A THANKFUL HEART…

Monday, January 26, 2015

Men and women of God have won worlds of men and women with their words, faith, and ideals. The words of God’s prophets and messengers have crossed the ages and changed the course of nations. Their words have captured hearts and minds, and set multitudes forever free. Their message of life and love through Jesus has won countless millions to God’s eternal kingdom—a kingdom far greater, longer lasting, and happier than man’s mere worldly empires of the sword. Their words have saved millions from hopeless, Christless tombs, and given the love of God to a world dying for His love.

The Word of God is far greater than anything man can muster. It can change hearts; no atom bomb can do that. It can change minds; no number of bullets has ever done that. It can fill people’s lives with love and genuine purpose; no conquering army has ever managed to do that. God’s words are spirit and life (John 6:63); who else can claim that? That’s how powerful God’s Word is!

Saturday, January 24, 2015

There are countless temptations—not just to cheat on your spouse, but to be selfish, to assert your independence, to
insist on your so-called rights over another individual. All of these stem from people’s desires to promote themselves, and they run counter to God’s idea that
self-sacrifice is the way to happiness.

Thinking of your spouse first is the secret to married happiness. You give up old habits, old preferences, and old ways in favor of the new, in favor of this
wonderful person God has put in your life. In doing so out of love, you find great happiness because God blesses unselfishness; He blesses your sacrificially
yielding to another person’s needs and wishes and seeking their well-being, even above your own.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

To receive a gift and say, “Thank you,” is one of the
noblest things a man can do. There is nothing small or trivial about it. To say
“Thank you” is to acknowledge that we have been given something we did not earn
and do not deserve. Happy is the man who understands that all of life is a gift
of God and that life itself is the ultimate gift. Which is why the Bible says,
“In everything give thanks…” (I Thessalonians 5:18) When we can’t do anything
else, we can always be grateful. As someone has said, “If you can’t be thankful
for what you have received, be thankful for what you have not received.” So many folks want to grumble, groan and gripe instead
of thank God for what He has already given to them. Rendering thanks to God is
not to be an occasional act of God’s people, but it is to be a way of life.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

When talking about equal opportunity or equal rights for men and women, the real question that is often on our minds, whether we readily admit it or not, is,
“Who is in charge?” Competition, pride, jealousy, and discontent haunt many people’s lives today. What a relief it would be if in every workplace and in our
personal lives we could simply recognize one another’s talents, skills, and strengths, and without regard for gender do the best we can to make sure each person is in the position where he or she will be happy and challenged and able to accomplish the most for “the team.” But, you’re probably thinking, that’s more easily said than done. You’re right!
People everywhere yearn to be liberated. The quest for freedom is not unique to women. Men, too, long for liberation. But where can one find it?—The secret to freedom is not in men dominating women or in women dominating men, but in everyone working together in harmony, united, blended together in God’s love, all fulfilling their roles, all esteeming the other person better than themselves, all serving one another in humility.

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

If you feel that the task God has called you to is too hard, remember that the spiritual lessons and joy that are wrapped up in the journey may seem hidden at first, but they are certainly there! God will help you find them.

I love this poem :

Sometimes we learn that hardships
Were blessings in disguise,
That earnest work and faith in God
Were proven to be wise.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

We all write resolutions that are kept for a good 3-4 days... right? For you to be able to successfully fulfill your new yeqr's resolution choose one only like one habit to break, or one resolution to stick with, or one relationship to improve, or one talent to develop, etc. and commit to it and DO IT!

Let spirituality be your new years resolution.May God bless you
we wish you the happiest of years
God is all you need to succeed.With God around us, let us pray for
a year full of new opportunities
an abundance of warm people among us a life with God in our midst.